Global General

Russia's World Cup bid not won by luck: Putin

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-12-16 20:47

MOSCOW -- Russia won the bid to host 2018 World Cup not by luck, but by a fully preparation, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in an annual question-and-answer TV show on Thursday.

A student from Siberia asked Putin: Did Russia win the bids to host the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2018 World Cup by the prime minister's luck because he was really "lucky."

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Putin said, "Yes" and then explain the secret of his luck.

"One should work (hard), and first of all work with people, show respect for them and prove competence and do it persistently, but tactfully," the premier said.

"As you see, we have been a success until now and hopefully will be a success in the future," he added.

After voting in Zurich on December 2, the FIFA executive committee awarded Russi and Qatar the rights to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively.

Immediately after the news, Putin vowed to host the 2018 World Cup at "a worthy level".

The Russian bid includes 16 soccer venues in 13 cities, all in the European part of the vast country.